The main body of the robot is designed to reflect heat back into space

The robot draws its power from solar panels

A side view of the asymmetrical design

Astrorobotic's concept will record data and send it back to earth with twin HD cameras

Interior motors help reduce the chance of damage in lunar conditions

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Article Summary

Forty years after Apollo 11 touched down on the moon, plans are afoot to revisit the site to see how the remains have stood up to four decades of radiation and micrometeorite bombardment. One vehicle that may well be used for this expedition is the third prototype lunar robot from Lunar X Prize entrant Astrobotic. The rover is one tough nut - it's designed to survive the blistering heat of the lunar ‘noontime extreme’, which sees temperatures reach 270 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as the minus 240 degree Fahrenheit temperatures of the lunar night.